FCC Wants Comments Re: Should VoIP co's Get Numbers Direct?

The following is an excerpt from an FCC public notice, which can be read in full at:

PDF:

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The basic issue here is whether VoIP companies will be allowed to obtain numbers directly from NANPA. Right now, when a VoIP company wants a block of numbers, they have to go to a CLEC that has numbers assigned to them, and use numbers out of the CLEC's number pool. The problem with this is that the CLEC then owns the numbers rather than the VoIP company. Consider the case of where a CLEC is giving poor service or goes out of business; calls to customers may not complete properly and it may not be the VoIP company's fault, but rather the fault of the CLEC that owns the number.

So, allowing this change would let the VoIP company to own their own numbers, and therefore they would have both more flexibility and more responsibility. When a CLEC that the VoIP company partners with isn't completing calls properly, the VoIP company could move the termination point for the numbers to another CLEC. I think allowing this change would allow VoIP companies to provide better service to customers, and by the way it would also probably remove the current impediments for customers wanting to take their phone number from one VoIP provider to another (or to a landline or cellular company, for that matter -- in other words, local number portability for VoIP numbers would probably be a reality).

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see any real downside to this. Those that just don't like VoIP will probably find some reason to oppose it but I think that if VoIP companies had control of their own number space, rather than using numbers out of the various CLEC's pool, it would make thing far easier for everyone. Note this has nothing to do with whether they would still use the CLEC's for actual call completion, it only addresses who owns the block of numbers out of which customer numbers are assigned.

Comments are due by April 15 and those who wish to send a comment can go to

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for details.

Instructions for sending an e-mail comment are at:

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or you can send a brief comment to the FCC using the online form at
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.

You will need the Proceeding number, which is 99-200 (this is called a "CC Docket No." on the Public Notice).

Here is the excerpt:

PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission

445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet:
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TTY: 1-888-835-5322

DA 05-663 March 11, 2005

WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON RNK, INC. D/B/A RNK TELECOM, NUVIO CORPORATION, UNIPOINT ENHANCED SERVICES D/B/A POINTONE, DIALPAD COMMUNICATIONS, INC., VONAGE HOLDINGS CORPORATION, AND VOEX, INC. PETITIONS FOR LIMITED WAIVER OF SECTION 52.15(g)(2)(i) OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES REGARDING ACCESS TO NUMBERING RESOURCES

PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED:

CC Docket No. 99-200

Comment Date: April 11, 2005 Reply Comment Date: April 26, 2005

RNK, Inc. d/b/a RNK Telecom (RNK), Nuvio Corporation (Nuvio), Unipoint Enhanced Services d/b/a PointOne (PointOne), Dialpad Communications, Inc. (Dialpad), Vonage Holdings Corporation (Vonage), and VoEX, Inc.(VoEX) have filed petitions with the Commission for a limited waiver of section 52.15(g)(2)(i) of the Commission's rules. The petitions request a limited waiver of the Commission's numbering rules to allow RNK, Nuvio, PointOne, Dialpad, Vonage, and VoEX to obtain numbering resources from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) and/or the Pooling Administrator (PA). RNK, Nuvio, Point One, Dialpad, Vonage, and VoEX seek the same relief that the Commission granted in an Order allowing SBCIS to obtain numbering resources directly from the NANPA and/or the PA until the Commission adopts final numbering rules for IP-enabled services.

We invite comment on the Petitions for Limited Waiver. Pursuant to applicable procedures set forth in sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, interested parties may file comments on or before April 11, 2005; and reply comments on or before April 26,

2005. Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24121 (1998). [End of excerpt]

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Reply to
Jack Decker
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